DNA Special: Beware of the 'Don' coronavirus variant

While India is struggling to contain the pandemic, a new, more dangerous variant of the coronavirus has emerged, which specializes in fooling the tests.

When a person is infected with this new variant, he first catches a cough, then a high fever and there is also trouble in breathing. With these symptoms, one may feel that he has COVID-19, but when they get tested, the report comes negative. Not one or two, even after three tests, the result remains the same - negative.

And when the patients assume that they do not have COVID-19 infection and it is just common fever and cold, then this virus attacks their lungs and sends them to the hospital. In many cases, patients have also died. The most dangerous thing about this new variant is that it is not detected in the tests. That is, you will have the infection, but when you get tested, your report will come negative.

In simple words, this new avatar of coronavirus has also learned to cheat the methods of testing. And it has started acting like a vicious thief, as a thief sneaks into a house and goes to rob it all. Just like this, the virus damages your lungs and you don't even know about it.

This new variant also fools the RT-PCR test easily. And the reason for this is the traditional way of testing. At present, samples are taken from the nose and mouth to detect the presence of coronavirus, while this new variant is hiding in the lungs. It does not make its way in the mouth and nose, so it is not even caught. And this variant is not limited to India only.

In February, Finland said that it had identified a virus in many patients that was not easily detected. In March, France also confirmed this and said that the virus is not detected by the samples taken from the nose and mouth. Apart from this, the variant has also been found in the UK, after which the blood samples of patients are being taken for tests.

On January 8, the Food and Drug Administration of America wrote a letter, warning the whole world about this variant. But its expansion could not be stopped. This new avatar of the virus reached India circling many countries and now it is fooling many people. In Delhi alone, 15 to 20 percent of positive cases reported negative in tests.

You will remember that in the year 1978, a film by actor Amitabh Bachchan came out. It was called DON. There was a dialogue in this film - Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahi namunkin hai (It's not hard but impossible to catch Don). This variant of coronavirus has also become something similar. Several countries are trying to deal with it, but the virus is making its own copies and is becoming life-threatening for some people.

Now let us answer some more questions about this new coronavirus variant

1. Can the vaccine protect against the coronavirus?

The University of Kansas Health System of America says that vaccine is the most effective weapon to avoid this virus.

2: Are COVID-19 cases increasing in India due to the new variant?

Yes, Britain and Brazil mutant's coronavirus has become double mutant in India. And it is infecting more people than before.

3. Is our vaccine effective on the new variant as well?

Yes. It is also effective on the new variant.

4. Why vaccine users are also getting infected?

The vaccine is not to stop the infection from spreading. It protects us from infection. And helps us fight the coronavirus.

5. Should I get vaccinated or not?

The answer is yes, get vaccinated.